Thursday, August 16, 2012

What’s in a name?


Last night I had dinner at the Mexicali Grill with three of my girlfriends.  Well,  unfortunately, we are hardly GIRLS anymore, that’s for sure.  But as we were sitting around the table yakking over our Margaritas, it occurred to me that anyone who knew our names (Donna, Judy, Nancy and Barbara) could place us instantaneously in our generation.

  People just aren’t naming their kids those names these days and while I sometimes think that names such as ours will make a comeback when today’s new borns wax nostalgic over their grandmothers, in my experience that hasn’t happened yet.  Of course, it's way too soon to tell.  None of the four of us "girls" is a grandmother much less a great-grandmother.  In my heart, though, I think that most likely our names will go the way of Bertha, Doris, Florence and Lois.

Before our daughter Carrie was born, Greg and I joked that we could make two “old” ladies very happy and name our kid “Lois Lois Lambert Hale” as both of our mothers were named Lois.  Instead, we decided to go with Carrie after Greg’s grandmother who I never met but felt I knew because he spoke of her so fondly.  Our other choices, when we decided to go with a family name (Cora, Georgianna and Beulah), seemed hopelessly old fashioned to us at the time.

Well, that has nothing to do with the photos I am going to post today but the name thing has been circling my brain so I had to get it out.  I am going to reach into my archives and post a few pictures that I took earlier this summer.

  Recently, the weather here has not been conducive to outside picture taking so my camera hasn't gotten the workout it deserves.  We’re definitely in the dog days.  We have gotten a fair amount of rain but it has come to us with little warning in downpours falling violently in sheets causing flash flood warnings and a lot of run off.  Well, it is rain and no matter how it comes...in a cloudburst, in sheets, in a downpour or as cats and dogs, we need it.

  After all, what’s in a name?  That which we call rain by any other name would smell as sweet.

  Sorry, Shakespeare.






13 comments:

Sharon M said...

The thread reminds me of the clothes my mother used to sew us when we were kids.

Funny thing about the names. When I had my daughter 15 years ago, I named her Mary. When I was checking out of the hospital, the old lady behind the billing window said, "that's the first normal name I've heard in months!"

Chatty Crone said...

The thread is pretty up close like that. I read once in school the same kids took the same test twice. Once with a common name and once an odder name. The ones with a common name scored better then the ones with the odder names! True. sandie

TexWisGirl said...

awesome images, as usual! :)

TexWisGirl said...

awesome images, as usual! :)

Rohrerbot said...

Your macros are stunning!!! The leaf!!!

Rose said...

We have at long last gotten real rain today...I bet more than we have had the whole rest of the summer. I just wanted to get out and dance naked it it...NOT--well not naked anyway.

MEcoy said...

love your shot especially that second one

Nicki said...

When my husband and I found out we were pregnant with our first I had to inform both my parents that we simply would not be considering their names as options - they were simply too old fashion. I guess it is a relative term. I love your shots.

Debbie said...

these are all gorgeous but i would have enjoyed a pictures from the girls night out more ;))

i'm a debbie and i'm 53. it may have been one of the most popular names back in 1958!!

Brian King said...

My grandmother's name is Barbara so I'm rather fond of it! I always thought it was a good, strong name. Beautiful photos! I really like the leaf.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for these inspiring images very much. Our son is called Stefan as his grandfather and as a second name Orpheas because of a love story.

Please have you all a good weekend.

Nancy said...

I was never very fond of my name growing up but I rather like it now. My parents' names -- Melville and Norma. Nope, my kids didn't get those names either. Lol.

Stratoz said...

And then there are those like me whose name was picked for no particular reason, well none will be given